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Child Abuse is one in a series of books subtitled, “The Developing Child”, edited by Jerome Bruner, Michael Cole, and Barbara Lloyd. The series is designed to make information on recent research in child development available to all people who deal with children. Judging from Child Abuse and another book which I have read in the series (Distress and Comfort by Judy Dunn) the books appear to be of high quality, informative, helpful and thought-provoking.
The Kempes' small, highly readable book speaks with authority on the subject of child abuse. It is based on twenty years of study at the National Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Over the years 3,000 families have been treated at the Center. The Kempes claim that 4 out of 5 families were helped; surely a cause for optimism in a field where despair often prevails. Their book describes, clearly and comprehensively, the authors' understanding of the parents and children they have seen and the treatment approaches they have used. Each page is filled with information and practical suggestions. The last chapter of the book contains guidelines for the establishment of a community-wide approach to the problem of child abuse among which is the idea that the social worker is the natural leader of a child abuse team and should be assisted by a pediatrician, health visitor, lawyer, psychologist and psychiatrist, all equal in status. Compassion for the child, his parents, and the people who work with them informs the book from beginning to end.
When writing about the abusive parent the authors point out that in order to become an adequate parent one must have been cherished and nurtured in early life, in the time before memory and speech. As we know, many parents who abuse their children were abused themselves, either emotionally or physically. Taking a slightly different angle on this well known fact, the Kempes give us an insight into what drives the abusive